Government Signs Letter of Intent to Strengthen Country’s Digital Infrastructure

• The Government has signed a letter of intent with Trans Americas Fibre System for a subsea cable project to strengthen Jamaica’s digital infrastructure, diversify international connectivity, and reduce reliance on a single cable that currently carries about 54% of internet traffic.
• Prime Minister Andrew Holness described the project as a strategic investment in long-term economic growth, competitiveness, education, employment, and national resilience, noting that Hurricane Melissa highlighted the need for more robust and redundant infrastructure.
• The TAM-1 network offers Jamaica a cost- and time-efficient connection to a nearly operational 7,000-kilometre regional cable system linking the US, Panama, and Colombia, with a dedicated spur delivering up to 20 terabits per second of bandwidth and built-in redundancy.
• The Government intends to de-risk the investment while keeping the cable carrier-neutral and open to all service providers, fostering competition that is expected to significantly lower internet prices and improve access for consumers and businesses.
• Once finalised, the project is expected to cut international bandwidth costs by up to 99%, support Jamaica’s National Broadband Project, help close the digital divide, and position the country for stronger, more resilient digital-led growth, with construction targeted for late 2026 and operations by Q3 2027.

(Source: JIS)